Thomas and the Evil Diesel
|previous=Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree |next=Thomas and Gordon Off the Rails }} Thomas and the Evil Diesel, retitled Thomas and the Naughty Diesel in American releases, is a book written by Christopher Awdry. It was later retitled Thomas and Diesel and included My First Thomas-style illustrations. Plot One morning, Percy is ill and has to go to the Works for repairs. The Fat Controller knows he has to borrow another engine to help out on Thomas' Branch Line, and unfortunately, Diesel is the only one available. He returns to Sodor to help out with the goods work on Thomas' Branch Line and, as expected, causes trouble for the engines by destroying the oldest and rudest truck in Ffarquhar Yards when the trucks end up making fun of him for causing trouble back then. The Fat Controller is cross and immediately arranges for Diesel to go back home. But two days later, Thomas has an accident when Daisy drips her oil on the track he is taking and Clarabel's back wheels come off the rails at the special points at Dryaw. Diesel knows that the line Thomas is on is the only way he can get back home, so he comes to the rescue. Clarabel thanks him and asks the Fat Controller to forgive him, to which he rightfully does so, as the other engines do too. It seems that even Diesel has some good in him somewhere and all the other engines are glad to see him again the next time he comes to Sodor. Characters * Thomas * Percy * Toby * Diesel * Clarabel * Sir Topham Hatt * Duck * Daisy * Annie * Bertie * Gordon Locations * Ffarquhar Sheds * Tidmouth Sheds * Sir Topham Hatt's Office * Knapford * Crosby Tunnel * The Carriage Shed * Ffarquhar * Dryaw * Toryreck * Knapford Sheds * The Works Trivia * Diesel is depicted in a brown livery in the 2013 version of the book. * The Random House version has less realistic illustrations and toned down dialogue, as well as out of scale vans. This release also had the works renamed the "Train Doctor". * This marks Diesel's second appearance on Sodor. It also shows character development of the first main antagonist of Duck and the Diesel Engine. * This book was written by request of the TV series producers, but was never adapted into an episode. However, Diesel being the only spare engine available was a plot device that Britt Allcroft would use in the TV series for the episode Diesel Does it Again which may have replaced the events of this story in the TV series as Diesel's second appearance on Sodor. The World's Strongest Engine also uses this plot device. * The Random House version, narrated by Robin Smith, was used as a bonus feature on the DVDs, Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Thomas Adventures and The Early Years (Disc 3). Goofs * Throughout the book, Annie is illustrated with ticket windows similar to Clarabel. * In the twentieth illustration, Clarabel is missing her ticket windows. Category:Books Category:Railway Series Books Category:My First Thomas Books